This Easy Banana Bread Recipe is the absolute BEST! It is moist, packed with bananas, sweetened with brown sugar, and baked in a square pan for even and quick cooking. No mixer needed, grab a bowl and whisk, this bread is ready in under 30 minutes.
If you asked me what I bake most often, the answer would undoubtedly be banana bread. It took me years, and dozens of recipes, before I found the one that I’m sharing here. It became an immediate reader favorite and family staple.
For years, I have been on a search for the PERFECT Banana Bread. I wanted a recipe that is simple, with no fancy ingredients, and no trendy technique. Just a flat-out delicious Banana Bread that bakes up perfectly every single time. HERE IT IS!
This recipe is also the base for our Banana Nut Muffins and our Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
Jump to:
What makes this recipe the best
- Bananas – This banana bread is absolutely loaded with bananas. I use 3-4 overripe bananas to make this bread sweet, moist, and undeniably banana-flavored.
- Brown sugar – The only sugar used in this bread is brown sugar. It is in the batter and it gets sprinkled on top before baking. The brown sugar gives the bread a deeper flavor and almost caramel-like sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – Banana and vanilla is a match made in heaven! Two teaspoons of vanilla extract lend an underlying vanilla flavor that pairs perfectly with the banana.
- Square pan – This here is the game changer. I bake the banana bread in a 9×9 square cake pan instead of a loaf pan. This allows the bread to bake in as little as 20 minutes (as opposed to 1 hour in a loaf pan). Plus, no worrying about overcooking the edges and undercooking the center. Since it is not a loaf, it bakes evenly every time. Note: If you’d prefer using a different size pan there are instructions below.
Recipe overview
*Full detailed recipe below in the recipe card.*
Whisk melted butter and brown sugar. Add mashed banana, vanilla, and eggs.
Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.
Pour the batter into a greased 9×9 square pan and sprinkle the top with brown sugar. Bake until golden brown and cooked through.
Tips: baking with bananas
It’s important that you use overripe bananas for this recipe. The skin of the bananas should have brown speckles or even be turning dark brownish-black. This ensures that the bananas mash smoothly and are extra sweet.
You will need 3-4 bananas (2 cups mashed).
Mash the bananas using a fork or potato masher.
I mash the bananas on a paper plate then fold the plate in half and slide the mashed banana into the measuring cup.
Healthier options
Prefer your Banana Bread on the healthier side? I have made the following changes with success:
- Reduce the brown sugar to ½ cup (in the batter). I still recommend sprinkling brown sugar on top.
- Swap the melted butter for melted coconut oil or mild olive oil.
- Reduce the melted butter/oil to 6 tablespoons.
- Swap ¾ cup of all purpose flour for whole wheat flour.
- Add a generous handful of chopped walnuts to the batter for a boost of omega-3’s.
Different pan sizes
The recipe instructions are for a 9×9 square pan (my preference), but you can also use the following:
- Muffins: Divide batter between 12 greased muffin cups, adjust bake time to about 15 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- 8×8 square: Adjust bake time to 35-45 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- Loaf pan (9×5): Adjust bake time to 45-55 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
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Recipe
Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar, make sure it is fresh and soft
- 2 large eggs
- 2 scant cups mashed very ripe bananas, about 3-4 bananas
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (more, if desired), for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and ⅔ cup brown sugar until well combined, about 1 minute. Add eggs, mashed banana, and vanilla, whisking until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to lightly stir the batter until no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to over mix.
- Grease a 9×9 square baking pan and add the batter to the pan. Smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle the top of the batter with ¼ cup (or more) brown sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating once during the bake time. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
- Muffins: Divide batter between 12 greased muffin cups, adjust bake time to about 15 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- 8×8 square: Adjust bake time to 35-45 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- Loaf pan (9×5): Adjust bake time to 45-55 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Angel
Have you ever froze to see? I’m curious about how they hold up. I have ton of bananas to save!
Celebrating Sweets
You can freeze the baked bread. Enjoy!
Tamara
Excellent recipe. Added pecans – my only change to the recipe. This will be my go-to from now on. The banana bread came out perfectly moist and tastes great!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Debra
Can I use a mixture of kodiak and flour?
This looks delicious!
Debra
UPDATE: I tried it with 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup Kodiak. It worked!!! Still playing with baking time, since I used a round cake pan, but delicious. Thanks!
Celebrating Sweets
Great! Thanks for stopping by!
Shaye
Simple and delicious! I made it this morning substituting the flour for gluten free flour and it turned out GREAT. I also substituted half of the brown sugar with Swerve Brown sugar substitute. Definitely keeping this in my regular rotation!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Rosemarie
Can I take out the baking soda I have the same square pan
Celebrating Sweets
You can’t just leave it out, you need some leavening. You can try swapping it for baking powder. I believe you will need triple the amount of baking powder, so 3 teaspoons.
Rosemarie
I baked it without the baking soda just baking powder for me and it came out great I’m used to baking powder in baking than baking soda
Mariah
Thank you so much for this recipe! We don’t own a cake pan and this is the best one I’ve found that can use a normal sized pan. And it’s delicious!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Vanessa
everyone in my house loves them they were gone the same afternoon ! major hit and just the twist i was looking for aside from making the traditional loaf. will be making this again tomorrow !
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Mich6
What if I only have dark brown sugar?
Celebrating Sweets
That will be fine. Your bread might just be a bit darker than mine. Enjoy!
Stefanie
This recipe was so easy to make, I followed the recipe except I only had an 8×8 pan and let it bake for 40 mins.
Came out absolutely perfect! Moist & perfectly sweet! Love this recipe! ❤️
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂